Government Did Well but Much Greater Challenges Lie ahead
By Sahuddin Haider
Karachi, Pakistan
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar have done well so far, but far too greater challenges still lie ahead.
In an Islamabad meeting Tuesday, the premier approved the budget strategy papers for the coming fiscal of 2015-16, laying stress on welfare of the people. His emphasis that lower slabs of levies would yield larger revenues indicated wisdom, and was reassuring.
The important thing, however, is the focus on social sectors--health and education-- neglected and on the backburner for long. Time has now come to work out a budget which is economically beneficial, and at the same time enhances the quality of life in a country, which instead of progressing, has persistently been on the downward slide.
Japan progressed, despite its defeat in the Second World War, because of its undivided attention to education and for providing better health care to its people. So did Germany, which lived on financial help from Pakistan soon after the world war humiliation.
Both nations showed tremendous improvements and despite heavy losses are economic giants again.
Pakistan lost five precious years from 2008 to 2013 of PPP rule because of unexplained indifference to deal with issues that invariably are considered as pillars of strength for any nation.
For the present government, a menacing situation, horrendous in fact, lay bare before it, demanding urgent attention to uplift a sinking economy and abysmal health and education facilities. People were groping in the dark and were depressed and disappointed. Nawaz and Ishaq Dar worked hard to win appreciation both from within and outside the country for their economic policies.
However, challenges like demands from smaller provinces for development funds, and the dispute over Chinese economic corridor, plus the yearning for larger share of budget on education and health, are all now staring in the face of the government. It needs to show its maturity to deal with a situation which cannot and need not be brushed aside or swept under the carpet. Such an attitude would generate bitter controversies, which if allowed to multiply, may prove ominous in the end.
Asfandyar Wali, Awami National Party chief, accuses the planners of changing the route of the economic corridor. Tehrik Insaf Chief Imran Khan bemoans the depleting strength of the Lowari Tunnel in his KPK province. He claims that while KPK and Balochistan were ignored in vital projects, Lahore never was part of the Chinese corridor. The real picture must be made known soon.
The PTI leader went on to charge that 50 percent of the country’s budget is spent on Punjab, while KPK was given just 20 percent of its share. Provincial chief minister Pervez Khattak is more terse in his criticism of the federal administration.
Imran Khan too has been on record that original route of the economic corridor was yet to be shown to the people.
Balochistan chief minister Dr Abdul Malik is bitter for not being shown the original or the amended route for the Gwadar-China economic corridor. He, despite being a Nawaz ally, wants bigger share for the backward south-western province. His bitterness against the federal government is too obvious to ignore.
These are no ordinary demands. These are much greater challenges than the government, in power for two years, has begun to face now.
Efforts should concentrate now on removing the complaints of the smaller provinces. The Chinese economic corridor project, so vital and fruitful for years to come, not only for Pakistan, but for the entire region, ought to be saved from becoming controversial like the Kalabagh Dam.
The Prime Minister and his finance minister have been overworked from day one, trying to lift the country from the morass it was found at the time of their coming into power. Complaints about particular region receiving little or less attention are also not entirely correct. Nawaz has been trying to remove the apprehension or the misperceptions of the people from Gilgit to Karachi. Yet the complaints keep mounting. He therefore needs to change the strategy now, and spend more time---at least a week or more in each of the sensitive places like southern Punjab, KPK, Balochistan, and Karachi to meet leaders, have in-depth discussion, and look for solutions that yield better results.
Federal ministers have shown a total lack of capability in touring the country. Their concentration in Islamabad shows immaturity for they are ministers for the entire country, and cannot just relax in the idyllic surroundings of Islamabad alone. The Prime Minister must ask them to pull up their socks. He should also monitor their reports weekly or on a fortnightly basis.
The government in the eyes of some analysts has lost touch with the people. Shahbaz Sharif has done a yeomen job, but his efforts have often been seen differently by people and leaders of other areas. That impression needs to be removed now. The prime minister can do that with a show of a little more energy.
In the last many years, new colleges and universities have almost ceased to open in the State sector. Similarly, hospitals and medical care hardly has received the attention it deserved. Health care and education services need greater allocation in the new budget. Ishaq Dar is on trial now. He has to rise from the level of being downgraded as a mere accountant to becoming a real economist. Budgetary figures won’t satisfy the common people. They want solid evidence of government efforts on the ground. New health and education projects should be included in the new budget, due next month, or else the government will face a crisis much graver than the one experienced so far.
